Advent Holy Communion
Advent 3 10.00 Holy Communion
Sunday 21st December 2025
Readings: Isiah: 7: 10 - 16
Matthew 1: 18 - 25
The Gathering
The Lord our God is with us,
the Lord is our mighty deliverer.
The Lord takes great delight in us,
We are welcomed by His love.
The Lord rejoices over us, singing His joy and welcome,
We come to enjoy His presence.
Let us lift our voices in singing,
In praise and wonder we come.
HYMN
The Greeting
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Let us pray.
Come Holy Spirit
Fill the hearts of your faithful people,
and kindle in us the fire of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Advent Wreath Candles Are Lit
Invitation to confession
Jesus says, 'Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.' So let us turn away from sin and turn to the Lord, confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
Christ came in humility to share our lives: forgive our pride. Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ came with good news for all people: forgive our silence. Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy
Christ came in love to a world of suffering: forgive our self-centeredness. Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
May the God of all healing and forgiveness draw you to himself, and cleanse you from all your sins, that you may behold the glory of his Son, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The Collect
Readings
At the end of each the reader may say
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
HYMN
Gospel Reading
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to .......
Glory to you, O Lord
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge
the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
(or)
Maranatha
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Peace
May the God of peace make you completely holy, ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Preparation of the Table
HYMN
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Lift us your hearts
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is always right to give you thanks, God our Creator, loving and faithful, holy and strong. You made us and the whole universe, and filled your world with life.
You sent your Son to live among us, Jesus our Saviour, Mary's child.
He suffered on the cross; he died to save us from our sins; he rose in glory from the dead.
You send your Spirit to bring new life to the world, and clothe us with power from on high. And so we join the angels to celebrate and say:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Father, on the night before he died, Jesus shared a meal with his friends. He took the bread, and thanked you. He broke it, and gave it to them, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this to remember me.
After the meal, Jesus took the cup of wine. He tanked you, and gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood, the new promise of God's unfailing love. Do this to remember me.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
Father, as we bring this bread and wine, and remember his death and resurrection, send your Holy Spirit, that we who share these gifts may be fed by Christ's body and his blood.
Pour your spirit on us that we may love one another, work for the healing of the Earth, and share the good news of Jesus, as we wait for his coming in glory.
For honour and praise belong to you, Father, with Jesus your Son, and the Holy Spirit: one God, for ever and ever.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Awaiting his coming in glory, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.
Giving of Communion
We do not presume
to come to this your table, merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in your manifold and great mercies.
We are not worthy
so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table.
But you are the same Lord
whose nature is always to have mercy.
Grant us therefore, gracious Lord,
so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ
and to drink his blood,
that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body
and our souls washed through his most precious blood,
and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
Draw near with faith. Recieve the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which he gave for you, and his blood which he shed for you. Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
The president and people recieve communion.
During the distribution hymns and anthems may be sung.
Prayer after Communion
Silence is kept.
The Post Communion or another suitable prayer is said.
Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
Amen.
HYMN
The Blessing
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you, scatter the darkness from before your path, and make your ready to meet him when he comes in glory;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen
We have worshipped together in hope.
We have sung God's praises.
We have shared the hope of new beginnings.
Now may God's blessing of hope be with us this day, this week, this Advent season. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen